Cabin Three // h.s. au

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All-Girl Camp or Temporary Home Designed to Convert Me to Lesbianism?
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o n e :

My rushed eyes glanced down at the sweaty, smeared list written down my soon-to-be-tanned arm. The ink from a simple, inexpensive ballpoint pen was hardly legible as I squinted in attempt to read my own writing.

The nerves always set in once it would be too late to turn back.

Reading the list for the sixth time since stepping in the vehicle, I attempted to calm myself, putting headphones in for what I knew would be last time for the next three weeks.

The calming tune of an indie rock band was interrupted by an arm slapping down on my thigh and a nasal voice speaking loudly.

"Jesse! Sweetheart!" I sucked in a breath, hoping not to sigh as I pulled my headphones out.

"Yes, mother?" I said slowly, pacing each breath.

"Do you have your toothbrush and toothpaste?" I sighed.

"Yes."

"Shampoo and conditioner?"

"Yeah."

"Clothes?"

"Of course."

"Shoes."

"Mmhmm." My patience was wearing thin, as was my father's hairline.

"Underwear?" I gasped.

"For God's sake mother, yes! I have everything!" My mother sure knew how to make a goodbye easy. Not that I was disappointed to leave her. The rows upon rows of corn that coated Indiana and the lack of personality didn't exactly beckon my loud mind.

"Don't you get smart with me, young lady. And watch your language. God's name is sacred," she scolded me, as if I were a child.

"I wasn't using his name unsacredly. I was simply saying that if you love him then you should realise that I have everything." I murmured, factually.

Ignoring my comment, she poked her head in between the seats to look at me with a disturbing grin on her face. "Are you going to miss mommy?"

I rolled my eyes. "I'm nearly eighteen. I may have unfortunate feelings of my mother's short term absence, but I won't 'miss my mommy'."

Her face fell and her lips pursed as she glared at me. "You should appreciate me, Jesse. You could be coming with us to Indiana. We are being kind enough to let you go to some camp, just because we love you." I blinked slowly, face emotionless.

"Thanks."

"I thought I gave birth to a baby girl, not a stone." Ceremoniously rolling my eyes again, I pressed my forehead to the window, watching tree after tree pass by me in a brown and green blur. She groaned and returned to her previous position of facing forward, hands in her lap.

"Jesse," the long-time smoker's voice that could only be my father's spoke. "You should really try and show your appreciation." I sighed, wetting my lips.

"Thank you, Mom and Dad. I really hate Indiana, so thank you." My words were forced, but true nonetheless.

"What's so wrong with Indiana? You lived there for 12 years!" My mother asked for what I believe to be the four thousand, five hundred, sixty-fifth time.

"Yes, Mom. I lived in Indiana. And it was perfectly swell for you. However, I disliked every single moment. Now, for the topic at hand, I will be at camp for three weeks, and after that I'm staying with Stevie," I tried. The topic of Indiana was quite unnerving.